Windows 8 Tip: Syncing a Windows Phone or Zune Device

With both Windows and Windows Phone changing fairly dramatically with this year’s major updates, some users are concerned or confused about how they’ll accomplish common tasks. Key among these is PC-to-device sync: Microsoft will deliver a new sync client and new PC-free functionality with Windows Phone 8 this year, but many are wondering how they can sync their existing Windows Phone 7.x and Zune devices.

The confusion is understandable. Back in February, an internal Microsoft video describing many Windows Phone 8 features leaked, resulting in my tell-all article Windows Phone 8 Preview. In that video, Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore said that the software giant would be replacing the Zune PC software, which is currently used to sync music, podcasts, videos, photos, and/or apps and games between your PC and a Windows Phone or Zune device. This has led, naturally, to questions about whether this new sync client was part of Windows 8, whether it was available already, and whether it would be made available for users of older, non-Windows Phone 8 devices.

So let’s examine what he really said first.

“We’re building a dedicated Windows 8 application that’s intended as a companion for Windows Phone,” Mr. Belfiore said in the leaked video. “This is intended as a replacement for the Zune client we have today and instead, from Windows 8, you’ll manage your phone that way. It’s a way of connecting your phone to all of your Windows 8 application experiences. You’ll be able to do things like browse into your phone, take a screenshot, and paste it into an email. It will be natural and powerful and really show how the combination of these two devices is really great together.”

From this statement, it’s likely that Joe meant “Metro-style app” each time he said “application.” It seems that this client will only be made available to Windows 8 users, that it will only work with Windows Phone 8 devices, and that it will ship alongside Windows Phone 8, and not be included in Windows 8 itself.

Regardless, no such client exists today in the Windows 8 Release Preview. So, how does one sync a Windows Phone 7.x or Zune device with Windows 8, you ask?

Simple: You use the Zune PC software, just as you do on Windows 7. It is acquired the same way (via a free download from zune.net), works the same way, and will let you access your soon-to-be-legacy devices on Microsoft’s latest desktop operating system going forward. Nothing has changed.

Discuss this Article 6

Rupert Bosch (not verified)

on Nov 9, 2012

I used Microsoft Mobile Device Center on Windows 7 to sync Outlook with my Windows Mobile 6.1 device. After upgrading to Windows 8, an 'Exchange ActiveSync error' is reported. Is there a replacement/fix for Microsoft Mobile device center

The real problem is that under Win8 you can no longer wirelessly sync between WP7* and the Zune software any longer. That's a downright shame. We can still sync by plugging in via USB, but I'd still much rather prefer to sync wirelessly.

Win8 sees my WP7.5 phone just fine (when it's plugged into a USB port).
The real problem is that under Win8 you can no longer wirelessly sync between WP7* and the Zune software any longer. That's a downright shame. We can still sync by plugging in via USB, but I'd still much rather prefer to sync wirelessly

The Windows Phone 8 sync app (preview 3) stinks. Has anyone actually used it? Who releases a new phone OS in 2012/2013 that doesn't have a desktop sync?!? Even Blackberry wouldn't do this. How disappointing switching from an Android Motorola phone to a Nokia Lumia 822 with Windows Phone 8. One more thing, Windows Phone 8 support micro-SD cards but they aren't visible through windows explorer. Ugh! I look forward to being proven wrong.

I have yet to find an app that has the capability to remux high bit rate files to one that's more mobile friendly. Having one's local catalog ripped as WMA Lossless was fine with Zune and WP7.x as the Zune Client would transcode them to WMA Pro. Alas that feature is still MIA in Win8 :(

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